The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-05-21
PAPER MAcHE.

PAPER MACHE.
Description OF Its Manufacture. and Some
Of Its Numerous Uses.
The manufacture of papier mache
Qiterally, ''chewed paper'' forms an
important branch of the paper indus.
try. Who does not remember those
projectiles of our school days which we
called ''spit-balls. and which when
thrown at a wall or ceiling adhered
thereto with tenacity? What was most
striking about these balls was their
extraordinary hardness after they be
come thoroughly dry, this being the
more marked in proportion as the chew
ing had been more perfect.
1t was through observing such hard
ness that the idea occurred to some one
to employ paper pulp in the manufact-
ure of various objects. Yet the sub
stance employed in the industry is not
a mashed" paper in the absolute sense
of the word, but is paper converted
into soft cardboard by mechanical
processes.
In the manufacture of papier mache,
the raw material used is a bluish-gray,
unsized, strong, fine-grained paper.
The sheets may be compared (white-
ness, which is of no account, being ex-
cepted) to Annonay photographic paper.
Cotton forms the basis of it.
These sheets are pasted together by
means of layer of dextrine or starch,
applied with steel spatula. When
the desired thickness has been obtained,
the mass is put into a hydraulic press
that operates in highly heated drying
room. Under the immense pressure of
this apparatus there forms solid block,
which is as hard as lockwood or ebony,
and which is perfectly plane or has the
form of the mold in which the raw mate
rial. so ductile when moist and so hard
when dry. was compressed. 1t can be
nodded into any shape whatever, that
of table legs, chair arms. rose-work,
holdings, etc.
This sort of wood, without pores, sap,
fibers and knots, is capable of being
worked with the saw. the gouge, the
rasp and the lathe. 1t can be polished,
If need be, although this operation is
reserved for the thick black varnish
that is applied to it in several coats
with an intervening stay of night in
very hot, air-heated drying room. When
it comes from the latter the varnish is
very hard, and is free from blisters and
cracks. 1t is possible that many of the
objects that are offered to us as being
finished with Japan or Chinese lacquer
are merely impregnated and covered
with mixture of gum copal, bitumen,
tar, resin and other hydrocarbons i'm
with lamp-black and color
in certain proportions.
The baking is the important point.
When this operation has been too greatly
prolonged, the varnish scales off and
cracks; and when it has not been car
ried to sufficient extent. the surface
remains sticky. It is not necessary,
then, to exceed certain temperature.
always higher than one hundred de-
grees.
This nodded and pressed paper can
be easily TUNED in the lathe, and made
into light and indestructible balls and
beads. or be fashioned into ink-stands.
caskets and cylinders.
1t is from this substance that are man.
nfactured all those bracelets of large
black beads studded with Scotch imita-
lion diamonds, all those necklaces, pins,
clasps and trinkets of all sorts that are
'aken for pitch coal or some precious
wood. Again, those handsome brace
cts composed of semi-lucid and opaline
ylobules that seem to have been cut out
IT stone formed Of concentric LAYERS,
ike certain precious stones, are merely
IT papier mache, cemented with white
'arnish and coated with the same. So.
90. those beautiful nacreous. painted |
md gilded trays, round tables, and |
'askets that are known as Japanese
york are merely papier mache. The
japanese know but one kind of gliding, |
While we have two-the dead and the
'rilliant. We have, likewise, liquid
acre taken from the scales of the white
ait that well initiates the white currant
nd certain transparent berries. The
acre is solidly inlaid by means of the
ydraulic press, and finally the surface
finished with pumice stone in order to
,ake itperfectly even, and covered with
colorless varnish of the first quality
'ulleti's dies Fabricants de Papier.